Virtual Tour of all the sacred places of Mayapur Nabadwip dham. To know more about Mayapur Nabadwip dham, please refer to our articles in this category.
Category: navadvipa_bhava_taranga
Twelve mahajanas are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam – Bali, Bhisma Pitamah, Lord Brahma, Janaka, Kapiladeva, Narada Muni, Sanat-Kumar, Shiva, Prahlada, Sukadeva Goswami, Svayambhuva Manu, Yamaraj. All of these twelve mahajanas are exalted devotees of the Supreme Lord and authorities on the science of devotion. Bhishma Pitamah, one of these twelve mahajanas, was a selfless soul who remained a lifelong celibate (brahmachari) simply to respect the wish of his father to marry Satyavati. Bhishma Pitamah yielded his claims to the royal throne. Although he was very powerful and core to the survival of the kuru dynasty, he never took any credits or honors for himself. He sided with the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra although he understood very well that they would lose as Krishna, the Supreme Lord, had sided with the Pandavas.
In his earlier life, Bhishma, the son of Ganga, had studied in the holy land of Nabadwip (West Bengal, India) under the tutelage of Jahnu muni, his grandfather. He stayed over here for many days. It is over here that Bhishma pitamah had learned the science of devotional service, which he subsequently taught unto Yudhisthira on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Text 33
Taar purve bilokiba Suvarna vihara
Suvarna sen er durga tulya nahi yar
Yathaya Sri Gaurachandra saha parikara
Nachen suvarna-murti ati manohara
Translation –
To the east of this place is situated Suvarna Vihara, the incomparable majestic palace of Suvarna sen. There Lord Gaurachandra dances along with His associates in an enchanting golden form.
Text 30
Madhuvana madhya-bhage Sri Visrama sthala
Sridhara kutira ara kunda nirmala
Kazire sodhiya prabhu laye parikara
Yathaye Visrama kaila Tridasha-isvara
Translation –
At the center of Madhuvana, is a place known as ‘Visrama sthala’. Here lies the cottage of Kolavecha Sridhara and a clear pond. After rectifying Chand Kazi, Lord Gaurahari, the Lord of the three worlds, came here with His associates and rested.
Text 26
Mayapur dakshinangshe Jahnavira tate
Sarasvati sangamera atiba nikate
Ishodyan nama upavana subistara
Sarvada bhajana-sthana hauka amara
Translation –
To the south of Mayapur, on the bank of the Ganges, very near to its confluence with river Sarasvati, lies a huge garden known as Ishodyan (the Lord’s garden). May this always be the place of my meditation.
Text 25
Duur haite vilokiba bilvapaksha-vana
Yatha Gaura-dhyane achhe rishi chatuhsana
Nitai vilasa bhumi dekhiba suduure
Yatha sankarsana kshetra vijna jane sphure
Translation –
From afar, i shall view upon the Bilvapaksha forest wherein the four Kumaras remain rapt in meditation of Lord Gauranga. I shall behold the land of Sankarsana kshetra, which lies a bit further away. This is the place where Lord Nityananda manifests His enchanting pastimes. This land is only manifest to the wise devotees.
Text 23
Tad-uttore Saradanga sthan manohara
Raktabahu bhaye yatha sabara-prabara
Niladripatike laye rahe sangopane
Sei sthana dekhi yeno sarvada nayane
Translation –
Further north is the blissful place known as Saradanga, where the leader of the Sabaras, secretly stay along with Lord Jagannatha (Niladri-pati), out of fear of the demon Raktabahu. May i always behold this place before my eyes.
Text 22
Prithukunda uttarete Mathura nagari
Sashti-tirtha Madhuvana parama sundara
Bahujana-kirna janapada subistara
Darsana pabitra hau nayana amara
Translation –
North of Prithu Kunda is the town of Mathura and Sashti-tirtha, which are exceedingly beautiful and which lie within the forest of Madhuvan (in Vraja). It is very populous and full of grand residences. May my eyes become purified beholding this exalted place.
Purport –
Traveling North of Prithu Kunda we reach the residence of Chand Kazi, who was none other than the incarnation of King Kamsa, Krishna’s maternal uncle. But unlike Dvapara Yuga, where Lord Krishna killed Kamsa, Lord Chaitanya delivered Chand Kazi by bestowing His causeless mercy upon him and transforming him into a devotee. This is a vital difference between Krishna’s and Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Lord Gauranga kills the sin and not the sinner. Thus the offenders in Lord Gauranga’s pastimes do not receive the despicable impersonal liberation (sayujya mukti) like in Krishna’s pastimes but instead, they are blessed with pure love of God. That is why Lord Gauranga’s pastimes are considered to be the highest. This place, where the residence of Chand Kazi is located is non-different to the land of Mathura.
Previously when the demigods learnt that Mahaprabhu was about to descend in Navadvipa, Vishwakarma (chief architect of the demigods) came down to Nadia and witnessed that it would be hard to get water on the roads where the Lord would do kirtana in the future. So one night he dug out sixty (Sasthi) wide ponds, the last being at the Kazi’s village. Just beside the residence of Kolavecha Sridhara, we can see even today the remains of a dug out, surrounded by raised edges. This was one of these sixty ponds that were dug out by Vishwakarma.
Text 21
Bharadvaja-tila tatha dekhite sundara
Gaura bhaji yatha Bharadvaja muni vara
Lobhiya Chaitanya prema sutra prakashila
Kata-shata bahirmukha jane bhakti dila
Translation –
There is a lovely hill known as Bharadvaja Tila, which is beautiful to behold. It was here that Bharadvaja muni had worshipped and meditated upon Lord Gauranga hankering for His divine ecstatic love. Upon receiving it, the sage composed scriptural verses that were instrumental in bestowing the gift of divine love upon thousands of averse souls.
Purport –
This village where Bharadvaja Muni had obtained darsana of Lord Gauranga is now known as ‘Bharuidanga’. This village was named after Bharadvaja Muni, but over time the pronunciation became convoluted.So instead of Bharadvaja Tila the place is now known as ‘Bharuidanga’. Bharadvaja muni had come over here after visiting Ganga sagara and meditated upon Lord Gaurachandra. Being satisfied, the Lord appeared before him and blessed him.
How to Reach : This place is not very far from the birthplace of Lord Gauranga at Yogpeeth, in Mayapur. Infact one can walk for a few minutes from Yogpeeth to reach Bharadvaja tila. One has to take the small village road ,next to the Sridham mayapur sub post office, to reach here. Bharadvaja Tila is situated adjacent to the Jagai Madhai Ghat.
Text 20
Tahara paschime Jahnu tanayar tata
Sri Ganga-nagara name prasiddha kharva-vata
Yatha Gangadasa grihe vidya-anushilana
Karilen prabhu mor laye dvija-jana
Translation –
To the west ,on the bank of river Ganges, lies the famous village of Ganga Nagara. It was here at the house of Gangadasa Pandita, that Lord Gauranga studied along with His young brahmana friends.
Purport –
Ganga Nagara lies on the borders of Antardvipa and this town was founded by King Bhagiratha of the Raghu dynasty. King Bhagiratha, by dint of his severe penances, had caused the descent of mother Ganges from the heavens to the earth. This is why mother Ganga is sometimes also referred to as Bhagirathi. King Bhagiratha had caused Ganga to descend to this world in order to perform the Shraddha (last rites) of his ancestors. Anyways, King Bhagiratha blew his conch shell and went ahead to show the way, while mother Ganga followed him. But when they reached Navadvipa dham, mother Ganga stopped flowing. Bhagiratha turned back to see that Ganga devi had stopped flowing onward. Bhagiratha became fearful and meditated to learn the reason for this. Being satisfied, Maa Ganga revealed that Navadvipa was the eternal abode of He, from whose feet she had emanated. It was the month of Magha and she wanted to reside there in the dham till Phalguna Purnima. She added that all her desires would become fulfilled in Navadvipa mandala. Maa Ganga revealed that Phalguna Purnima was the appearance day of Her Lord (Lord Gauranga) and she would observe a vow on that day. She reassured Bhagiratha that she would again start flowing after Phalguna Purnima. Thus King Bhagiratha stayed there in the town Ganga Nagara till Phalguna Purnima and continued on his journey thereafter.
Lord Nityananda had revealed to Jiva Goswami that anyone who stays in Ganganagara on Phalguna Purnima , fasts, bathes in the Ganges and worships Lord Gauranga, shall surely attain the spiritual world along with thousands of His ancestors, after he leaves his body, irrespective of where he passes away.
How to Reach : It is believed that Ganganagara was located in the open fields next to the Sridham mayapur sub post office. The Ganges used to flow by this place 500 years ago. This locality is now known as ‘Ghosh para’.
